Welcome to the France Morning Time Session!
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Schedule
Recommended Books
Prayer & Scripture Memorization
For Bible reading, we will make suggestions for your morning time reading. However, if you’d prefer a more in depth schedule, we recommend checking out various plans that will help you read the Bible through.
For a one-year plan, we recommend YouVersion’s One Year Bible: https://www.bible.com/readingplans/60. You can also listen to it being read aloud on the app.
Download a two-year reading plan from the Gospel Coalition here:
https://media.thegospelcoalition.org/static-blogs/tgc/files/2010/12/TGC-Two-Year-Bible-ReadingPlan1.pdf
If you prefer to go even slower, Ambleside Online offers three, four, and five-year Bible reading
plans: https://www.amblesideonline.org/L/Lbiblesch.html
This session, we will learn the Prayer for Our Country and focus on writing and memorizing Psalm 100.
Artist Study
This session’s featured artist is Édouard Manet. We’ve included four art selections for your kids and teens to use for picture study. They are:
- Still-life with Salmon
- The Balcony
- The Railway
- Rochefort’s Escape
Composer Study
Our featured composer is Hector Berlioz. We’ve included six of his pieces (with links to each) to listen to. They are:
- Roméo et Juliette
- Le Carnaval Romain
- Symphonie fantastique
- La mort d’Ophélie
Listen to each piece below:
Piece
Piece
Piece
Piece
Hymn/Folk Song
Hymn
The hymn “‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” has a rich history that spans over a century. Published by Louisa M. R. Stead in 1882, this beloved hymn has brought comfort and inspiration to countless
people around the world.
Louisa penned the lyrics after a tragic accident in which her husband drowned, leaving her as a widowed mother of their young daughter. Amidst the grief and challenges, Louisa found solace and strength in her faith in Jesus Christ, which is where the inspiration for the hymn was born.
“‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” is a testament to the power of faith in the face of adversity. Louisa
Stead’s personal tragedy gave birth to a hymn that continues to touch hearts and souls, reminding
believers of the enduring sweetness found in trusting Jesus.
Listen to the music and sing along with it below:
Folk Song
“Frère Jacques” is a timeless folk song that has been sung by people of all ages around the world.
With its origins traced back to France, the song’s catchy melody and simple lyrics have made it a
favorite among children and adults alike. The lyrics tell the story of a friar or monk who oversleeps and is reminded by the bells to wake up and fulfill his duties.
While the exact origins of the song remain a bit mysterious, it is believed to have ancient roots. The melody has similarities to other European folk songs, suggesting that “Frère Jacques” may have evolved from a shared musical tradition, allowing many people from different cultures to enjoy its simple yet charming tune.
Listen and sing along with it below:
Poetry
This session’s featured poet is Paul Verlaine. We’ve included four poetry selections for your kids and teens to read, listen to, memorize, and recite. They are:
- Moonlight
- It Rains in My Heart
- Autumn Song
- The Piano
For copywork, we have included Zaner-Bloser style handwriting sheets for primary, elementary, and cursive, as well as college ruled for older students. The poems we have chosen are:
- Moonlight
- The Piano
Copywork
Tea Times
In this session we are giving you four recipes for our hospitality tea: Pain au Chocolat, Madeleine, Crêpes, and Gougères.
We will also have one Storytime tea, two Fairy Tale Teas, and a fable teatime:
Storytime Tea 1: Original Short Stories Volume 4, “The Diamond Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant
Fairy Tale Tea: The Blue Fairy Book, “Beauty and the Beast” by Andrew Lang
Fairy Tale Tea: The Tales of Mother Goose, “The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots” by Charles Perrault
Fable Teatime: The Fables of La Fontaine, “The Dove and the Ant” by Jean de la Fontaine
Shakespeare
For our Shakespeare selection, we have chosen “Othello,” one of the bard’s well-known tragedies.
Read it from Edith Nesbit’s Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare in the following pages. But we also recommend reading the actual play together as a family if you can.
Your older kids and teens may enjoy watching a movie adaptation (please pre-screen these first). And if you can take in a live performance, your family will never forget it!
Nature Study
Each Friday morning, you will go through two of our nature cards. They are labeled in the upper right corner with the corresponding week. These are short, factual cards with images to help your child become familiar with objects in the natural world.
As you progress through our sessions, you may find it handy to keep your past nature cards in a binder for easy reference when your children come across a familiar object. These seeds you are planting will grow into a wonderful garden of knowledge for your children in years to come.
As you explore nature outside your home, watch and listen for newly discovered delights.
Handicraft
Soap has been crafted in France since its beginning, originally from basic materials like animal fat and ash, but eventually from more luxurious ingredients, such as olive oil and seawater from
the Mediterranean. Because of this, France became known for its famous luxury soaps, such as the Marseille soap, which is still sold all over the world today.
For this session’s handicraft lesson, we will be celebrating this history by making our own soap with beautiful red globe amaranth flowers embedded within.
Art Lesson – Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe is one of Paris’ most iconic landmarks. The Arc was commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806 to honor the French military, and was completed in 1836 under King Louis-Philippe’s reign. The monument stands at 50 meters tall and features intricate sculptures and reliefs, commemorating various battles and victories of the French army. Beneath the arch lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I, symbolizing the sacrifice of all French soldiers who died in battle. The Arc de Triomphe remains a symbol of France’s military prowess and has become a significant tourist attraction, offering panoramic views of the city from its observation deck.
In this lesson we paint a picture of the Arc at night using acrylics.
Supplies needed:
- 9×12 inch watercolor paper
- acrylic paints (blue, purple, yellow, white)
- assorted paint brushes
History & Geography
For this session’s History & Geography, we have included a biography of France’s national saint, Joan of Arc, for you and your family to study!
We also recommend reading Home Geography by C.C. Long, Lessons 33 – 42. Additionally, you can learn more about France’s history, Joan of Arc, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Louvre below. (Please check the content warnings listed above the videos before watching.)
For bonus reading, we have included a link to A History of France by H.E. Marshall if your family would like to take a deeper dive into France’s rich history.
Joan of Arc: Martyr and a Patron Saint of France, by World History Encyclopedia
The History of France: Facts Everyone Should Know, by Captivating History
What You MUST SEE at the Louvre! After Hours Tour, by Artrageous with Nate
(Content warning: This video contains some brief flashes of nude artworks.)
Why Was Marie Antoinette’s Fashion So Controversial? by A Stitch In Time
(Content warning: This video contains a very brief mention of the word orgy- we recommend skipping at 21:47 and continuing at 21:57.)
Napoleonic Wars Explained In 10 Minutes, by Captivating History
Solfa
Charlotte Mason incorporated solfa lessons twice a week for about 10 minutes each. These lessons are intended to be repeated and you can stay on any lesson for as long as you like. Here is the YouTube channel Lara and her boys enjoy and recommends for practicing solfa, Children of the Open Air:
Brush Drawing
Brush drawing builds motor and observation skills. We have included a link to videos by Bestowing the Brush below which are great for all ages to learn together:
